Solace
by northernscarlet
Summary: AU A conversation between Azkadellia and DG after the events depicted in the miniseries.


**Title: **Solace

**Category: **Tin Man

**Summary: **AU A conversation between Azkadellia and DG after the events depicted in the miniseries.

**Pairings: **AzkadelliaxDG (sisters), AzkadelliaxAmbrose/Glitch, friendship among all players

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

* * *

_A pair of sisters were running through the thick forest. The light was bright and the leaves shined. Laughter from the two young girls drowned out the insects' constant hums. Dew still hung in the air. The day was still young._

_The younger sister ran ahead: a step, two steps, three. Her lips moved to form a smile. _

_She turned her head to check how far ahead she was when she tripped over the many tree roots that littered the forest ground. Blood began to spill out from her left knee. Rocks were digging into her hands. Leaves and twigs tangled in her hair. _

_The little girl in red began to cry._

* * *

The night is chilly and the castle is getting ready to retire for the night. In the cold, however, five dark figures are out on the balcony. The two females are near one another, while the other three males are off to the side by the archway, not sure if they should interfere or not. The silence is deafening. Suddenly, a voice sobs through the night.

"I'm so sorry," whispers Azkadellia. "I'm so very sorry." She hangs her head low and tears threaten to come out. The wind moves her hair away from her face as the moonlight shines down upon the distressing scene.

DG walks toward her, trying to reach out. "It's not your fault. It was the witch," she tries to explain. She wants her sister to stop blaming herself for what the witch had done. Her sister had no part in this.

She was just the victim.

Suddenly, a sudden change in Azkadellia's posture and behavior. "But I caused this destruction. I'm the one who let the witch control me," shouts Azkadellia. "If it wasn't for my lack of control she wouldn't have caused_ this_." She waves her right arm out over the balcony to the OZ. The people are barely rebuilding, trying to forget the oppress rule and the terror and fear that resulted from it. Some are trying to move on while others will never move on. DG wasn't here. She did not know of the terror the kingdom went through, the sight of death littering the streets nor the smell of blood lingering in the air. _She was not here to see me do all of this,_ Azkadellia thinks bitterly.

"No, it isn't. It was mine," cries DG, edging ever so closer to her sister. "I let go. I didn't listen to you. I didn't trust you enough. I was young and I was scared." And she was terrified, with the emphasized on the verb _was. _Back then she was defiant and ignorant and did not know any better. But now there is no terror, because now she has undeniable and lasting hope for herself, for her older sister, the kingdom and everything in between and beyond.

* * *

_The younger sister raised her hands up in defeat. "There's no hope! I can't learn this spell."_

"_Yes, you can," replied the older sister. "I believe in you and so you will and must learn this spell."_

_The younger sister, however, still felt defeated and worthless. She choked back a sob and blinked her eyes in rapid succession to prevent the tears from spilling over. _

_The older sister smiled and stepped closer. She reached out and pulled the little girl in red close. _

"_I bet," the older sister began, "that one day you'll be better than me. Superior, even. And it's all because I believe in you. No matter if you never learn this particular spell or not, because I'll always believe in you." _

_The younger sister snugged her face closer into the fabric and tighten the embrace. "Even if I lie and cheat and outright deceive you?"_

"_Even then," the older sister said without hesitation. She pulled the girl in red away from her, lifted her sister's chin with her left hand and wiped away the tears with her right. "Because, in the end, I know that you love me no matter what. We are inseparable. We will always be together, getting into trouble and fights. We need each other, even if you don't think so." She again pulled the girl in red in for an embrace. "You are my sister and nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever change that. I will protect you and make sure you are safe. I'll do anything for you." _

_A pause. _

"_And I for you," the younger sister barely whispered into the older sister's dress._

* * *

Azkadellia chokes back the tears that are threatening to come out.

"But I want you to know," continues DG, "that I am here for you now." She reaches out to grab hold of her sister's hands.

The elder sister looks down at their intertwining hands. She looks at the audience that are witnessing this exchange, her breakdown. Once darkness captured her heart and when it left darkness remained. The emptiness within her will forever encroach in her soul, even if DG is back in her life.

Azkadellia looks back at her younger sister. So much hope. Why isn't there any in herself?

* * *

_The little girl in red looked on with curiosity and jealousy in her eyes. She was hiding behind the work table the advisor use to make his blueprints. She wanted not be seen, to look upon the scene from an outsider view._

_Plus, with an added bonus, she needed to get away from today's lesson._

* * *

"I'm so alone." She looks back at those watching them. Cain stands beside Raw, protective and ready for action. Guess he still didn't trust her enough to be alone with DG.

Raw looks upon the scene, with what seems to Azkadellia, pity.

And, finally, Glitch, no Ambrose now. The Queen had him reinstalled his other half of his brain, but he has yet to remember anything. Maybe the connections, so long unused, are finally broken beyond repair. Two sides of the same coin, but no longer is he the coin. She feels connected to him in that respect.

* * *

_The little girl in red was always jealous of the proximity between her sister and the advisor. It was not fair. She was suppose to be the only one her sister lean on. She was the anchor. The advisor works with her no fun mother. He imposes the rules. But, yet, he also knows her older sister's secrets. She trusted him and the younger sister fears that the older sister trusted him more so than her._

* * *

"You're not alone," replies DG.

Azkadellia snaps her head back to look at her sister. She smiles sadly and removes her hands from DG's. The elder sister walks across the balcony before finally stopping in front of Ambrose. She always felt safe with the Queen's advisor.

"You want your memories back, Ambrose?" she asks calmly. Everyone looks at her. What with her sudden change of mood?

"Of course, Princess," starts Ambrose. "In due time, it'll come back." He smiles at her. _She deserve a smile_, thinks Ambrose.

Azkadellia turns back to look at DG. "The witch possessed me for awhile, after the cave. However, after she killed you, she left me in peace for several years to build up her strength," Azkadellia sadly say, "or what she considered peace."

* * *

_Her older sister was speaking openly with the advisor. There were no hesitance. No royal traditions nor manners. He even gave her a nickname. She had no fear speaking and asking questions regarding anything and he always answer her with the truth. The younger sister always 'walk' in on them, so to speak. The older sister would be leaning over the advisor's table and he'll be working and they'll be talking, as if they were old friends, which they were, sort of. Sometimes, on the scenes the younger sister spied upon, they would be together in silence. Her sister on a chair by the window reading. The advisor will be working at his table. Complete, comfortable silence. _

_This fascinated the younger sister._

* * *

"What happened?" DG hesitantly asks. She wants to know her sister again, to take away all the pain she herself had caused upon her.

"I don't know." Azkadellia turns back to Ambrose. "It was something she didn't want me to remember."

The elder sister stares into Ambrose's eyes. There are so much pain in them, both hers and his, seeing too much and being damaged by it, but, yet, there is a connection between them. "What did she do to you?" Ambrose finally asks. He could barely maintain eye contact with her.

"She took some of my memories and stored them elsewhere. She wanted me to feel nothing as she went on to destroy the OZ, but she miscalculated." Azkadellia looks away from Ambrose and stares at her hands. "Guilt began to crawled in me. At me. The look of those whose life was lost." She pauses. "The rare moments I do have control I tried to kill myself. I wanted to end it all." Azkadellia looks back up and stares at Ambrose once again. She needs to feel the familiar security, trying hard to remember the times where she thought that just by being in Ambrose's company, all was safe.

It is not here.

The urge to end it all still nags inside her.

"I still do," she finally confesses to DG.

Ambrose feels fear in that statement.

* * *

"_I need to end this. I need to end this. I need to end this," the older sister repeatedly whispered, pleading with the man to give back the knife that moments before was about to be plunge into her heart. _

"_No," he sternly replied. He dropped the knife and grabbed onto her. He pulled her close and held her in what seemed like forever. _

_It almost felt like old times. _

"_You are stronger than this. I will find a way to get the witch out of you. You need to fight." He couldn't imagine a life without her. She used to be much stronger then this. She was one of the strongest person he knows, second only to her mother. _

"_I don't think I can fight anymore...I just want it to end," she whispered, tears streaming down her face and soaking the man's clothes. _

_He pushed her away for a moment before coming close to kiss her on the forehead then a light kiss on her lips. His lips lingered on hers as he whispered, "I'll fight for the both of us." He believed in what he had said. He will fight for her and for them. _

_She stopped sobbing and looked up to meet his eyes. There was hope in them. Maybe, just maybe, she could believe in his words, like she did unconditionally before._

_She pushed him away. "GUARDS!"_

* * *

"No, you can't do this," demands DG. She quickly walk over to her sister. "I just got you back and I am not ready to leave your side just yet."

"Maybe I am to leave yours." There is something familiar in her eyes. The longing, the pain. Where has Ambrose seen it before?

"No, you are not." DG grabs Azkadellia's arms and turns her around so she is facing her. "I am not letting you do this."

"Don't you understand? I destroyed lives. I ripped families apart. I made this kingdom go through hell. I suffered along with them, DG. I just want it to end."

_I just want it to end._

Ambrose grabs his head. It is throbbing. "Glitch!" shouts Cain. The tin man rushes over and catches Ambrose as he collapse. Ambrose looks up at Azkadellia. He ignores Cain and stand up.

"You said that to me before."

"I did?"

"Yes." Ambrose's eyes widen. "You asked me to end your life."

"What?" DG gasps. This is unbelievable.

"Did you? Did you try?" whispers Azkadellia. She is looking at Ambrose, searching for truths and answers in his eyes.

"No." Cain looks between Azkadellia and Ambrose, realization floods in his face.

"Why?" asks DG.

"He loves her," answers Cain.

Azkadellia's eyes suddenly waters again. "So that what she doesn't want me to remember.

Love." She mockingly laughs at the sudden changed in situation. "Guess she got her wish."

"Why did you say that?" asks Cain. Her sudden change in behavior disturbs him.

"To love or be loved was her weakness. She killed DG because I love her. She removed my memories because of Ambrose," she softly whispers.

* * *

_You would never know the concept of love ever again. You would be loveless. Alone. Only I love you now. I am here for you while everyone you 'loved' left. You only need to trust me. Listen to my voice and only my voice. I'm the only one here for you now. You can trust me. You wouldn't be alone anymore. I'm the only one here. I'm the only one to be trusted. I'm here for you. I'm here for you. I'm here for you. I AM HERE!_

* * *

"That night when you reached out for my hand that was love wasn't it?" asks DG.

"Yes, you're my sister. The witch was weak because of the anti-sunseeder and I reached out, hoping that I can hold your hand one last time." Azkadellia looks at DG kindly. DG smiles in return before glancing back at Ambrose.

"Do you remember?" He hesitantly nods. "Were you in love with my sister?"

A pause.

He looks at Azkadellia. Spotted memories of laughter and hugs. Stolen kisses when she was older, when she was his light during the dark times after DG was killed. The sudden fear upon realizing what was in her. Some memories are still missing, but there is no doubt in what he felt...feels for her.

"I think I still do." He reaches out for Azkadellia's hand. She sadly smile before looking back out at the OZ. "If you let me I could fill the void in your memories."

"We all can," says DG. Raw and Cain nods their heads.

Azkadellia's eyes are still looking out over the OZ. "I'm damaged. You might not be able to save me."

"But we can try," replies Ambrose. He pulls her away from the balcony and into his arms. DG steps in and hugs the two of them as well.

"You are too precious to me to be let go," says DG. "I won't allow it."

Azkadellia closes her eyes and breathes in their scent. They are here for her. Someone is actually here for her. No more screaming into the darkness. No more crying herself to sleep. Maybe, just maybe, they can help her.

"Okay." Azkadellia pulls back. "Okay."

* * *

_The older girl ran up to her younger sister. Her heart was pounding. Is she hurt? Is she okay? Please, let everything be alright. "Don't cry. I'm here. I'm here." _

_The younger sister flung herself onto the older sister. The little girl in red needed to cling to the girl in blue and the girl in blue needed to make sure that the little girl in red knows that she is never alone. She will always be safe. _

"_You wouldn't leave me again would you?" _

_The older sister smiled. "No. Never. I won't allow it."_

"_Okay," said the younger sister. "And I'm the same for you." _

"_And everything will be okay," the older sister replied. _

_The light was shining brightly. The younger sister and the older sister stood up. It was still early in the day. They will have an adventure today, the younger one decided. She and her sister will have a grand time, together. _

_The little girl in red ran off and she is followed, always, by her sister. _


End file.
